Firehouse Subs provides vital equipment

Trussville firefighters with their new utility terrain vehicle outside Firehouse Subs on March 31.

Trussville firefighters now have a new utility-terrain vehicle (UTV) in their fleet thanks to Firehouse Subs.

On March 31, members of the Trussville, Homewood, Tarrant, Center Point and Irondale departments gathered at the Homewood Firehouse Subs location for the awarding of five equipment grants through the restaurant’s Public Safety Foundation.

Firehouse Subs’ Public Safety Foundation raised $117,455 to provide the UTV to Trussville and hydraulic rescue and extrication equipment, such as the Jaws of Life to the other departments. Trussville’s new UTV cost $14,967.

Foundation Senior Development Manager Meghan Vargas said the grant money is a small part of the $18 million the foundation has raised for fire departments since it began in 2005. About $1 million of that has gone to Alabama firefighters.

The UTV has four seats and a bed to carry equipment, and is designed for rescue efforts in weather emergencies or in locations that are impassable with normal rescue vehicles.

About 60 percent of the money for the grants came from donations by Firehouse Subs customers, which many times is just spare change. Restaurants raise money through recycling leftovers, donation canisters, $2 donation pickle buckets and offering customers to “Round Up” their bill to the next dollar with proceeds benefiting the Foundation.

“It is our customers that make this possible,” Conklin said. “To take people’s pennies and turn it into what you see today is amazing.”

Conklin said they would like to continue expanding the grant program, which has grown to give away about $1 million per quarter across the U.S. yet still has to turn down the majority of applying departments.

“You guys are the real heroes; we’re just glad to give you the tools you need,” Firehouse area representative David Conklin said.